Abu Dhabi Ports taps Dell Technologies to fuel maritime innovation

Dell Technologies has been drafted in by Abu Dhabi Ports to consult on digital technologies in driving maritime innovation.

Abu Dhabi Ports – the master developer and operator of ports and industrial zones in Abu Dhabi, including the state-of-the-art Khalifa Port – has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global tech giant Dell Technologies to provide consulting services in furthering the maritime operator’s digital innovation in areas such as blockchain and artificial intelligence.

“We are delighted to partner with Dell Technologies on our ongoing digital journey,” said Abdullah Al Hameli, executive vice president for corporate support at Abu Dhabi Ports. “At Abu Dhabi Ports, innovation is at the heart of everything we do. We are excited about the growth and opportunities created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and we are constantly striving to deliver products and services that transpose the latest emerging technologies into a maritime context.”

According to a report from Boston Consulting Group last year, Middle Eastern ports now handle approximately one fifth of the global seaborne trade, despite accounting for less than 3 percent of global GDP, with the consulting firm commending regional regulators for their well-executed infrastructure investments in recent times. For the UAE, this included more than $66 billion worth of investments in the ports and marine industries sector between 2014 and 2017 alone.In line with that sizeable investment has been a mindset toward innovation. Khalifa Port, for example, features the region's only semi-automated container terminal, with the port’s software and wireless technologies providing integrated movement of containers. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Ports has its own smart solutions business unit, Maqta Gateway, which last year released a blockchain-based solution aimed at streamlining trade flows and supply chains.

Now, Abu Dhabi Ports has sought out to Dell to help it leverage high value-added technologies and further fuel its digital transformation. Al Hameli; “Dell has long been a leader and pioneer in IT, and we look forward to combining their knowledge and insights with that of our own maritime experts. Together, we will explore ways to harness the most exciting technologies to make the future of maritime operations and services safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.”

Formed after what remains the largest tech acquisition in history – with the $67 billion purchase of EMC in 2016 – Dell Technologies last year raked in staggering global revenues of $90.6 billion, managing to dwarf the likes of professional services giants Accenture and Deloitte. For the UAE – where last year in Dubai the firm launched its Customer Solution Centre tech hub – that included double-digit growth and a significant boost to its regional workforce.

“At Dell Technologies, we primarily aim to help organisation build their digital future and transform their infrastructure,” said Mohammed Amin, Senior Vice President, Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Dell Technologies. “It is a pleasure to partner with Abu Dhabi Ports to achieve their visionary step towards transforming the logistics and industrial services in Abu Dhabi and the UAE and lead the disruption of the maritime industry in the region.”

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